His Heart Lives
by Dreaming-of-Daylight
Summary: You'll never know what she went through... None of them cared enough to ask. "I've built...a wall. Not to keep people out, but, I guess, to see who loves me enough to climb over..." Read and Review!
1. Beach Buddies

"_Now that's my special good luck charm! Be sure and bring it back to me!"_

"_Don't worry, I will."_

This memory is so much stronger than the others...

Kairi woke with her head pounding.

"Ugh. Stupid dream." she muttered. The redheaded girl rolled over, remembering too late that the mattresses at her boarding school were far too narrow to allow this movement.

"Stupid bed" she breathed into the floor.

A smaller girl pooped up next to Kairi. "Hi Kiari!" she chirped, oblivious to the older girl's bad mood. "Why don't we go down to the beach today?" The girl looked half-hopeful, as if afraid she was going to be shot down.

Kairi sighed. "Why not? You can see the island from there, I guess. It might help me remember that boy... Okay, Selphie. When can we go?"

Selphie looked surprised. "Don't you know what time it is? It's almost noon!"

"WHAT!? WHYDIDN'TANYONEWAKEMEUPWHATAREYOUCRAZYDOYOUWANTTOFAILOUTOFYOURSCIENCECLASSYOUKNOWYOU

HAVEAHUGETESTTODAY..." Kairi shrieked. Selphie took a step back, alarmed. "Calm down!"

Kairi looked at her with an expression of someone who knows they are right, but want the person who is wrong to say it. "Well?"

"Classes got canceled today!" the little girl trilled. "What? Why?" Selphie shrugged. "Who knows? But they did! What's weird is that there's absolutely no one at the beach! It would be like it was ours!"

Kairi thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah! Let's just go! I'll get dressed and you get what we'll need."

"ALREADY DONE!" Selphie nearly shrieked in happiness.

Kairi sighed. That was just like Selphie, to have everything packed and ready before she knew if Kairi would even go with her. She wondered how many weekends Selphie had packed, only to be rejected. She sighed again and pulled out her pink outfit from its space in the closet. She changed quickly, glancing at herself in the mirror when she was done. She knew she was prettier than the average girl, especially since living the past few years of her life on a 'heathen' island. But still, this outfit was a big improvement from the tattered tee shirt and skirt that she'd worn on Destiny Islands.

She slipped on an ivory slip and dressed in her pink sheath dress. After digging in her closet for a moment, she tugged on a pair of pink shoes. Somewhat impractical when making an outing to the beach, but nonetheless.

Kairi quickly brushed her hair. It pretty much stayed good, no matter what she did. Even after a night of those restless dreams. The bright red tint caught in the sun streaming through the now-open window, making it shine. Kairi loved her hair. It was the shade of red that everyone envies, from the prettiest blond to the most daring black, to the cutest brunette.

Selphie knocked on the door. "Kairi? You almost ready?" she shouted through the door, the knock followed by a heavy thunk, so Kairi knew that she was carrying the stuff. "Yeah, let me help you with the beach stuff!" she yelled back.

As the two girls made their way down to the waterline, Kairi stopped, drawing a picture with the toe of her boot in the sand. It formed an image of the paupui fruit. Kairi knew she had almost shared one with someone; perhaps the boy she couldn't remember? She mused on this as she doodled in the sand absentmindedly, but she came up with no solution.

She looked up quickly and realized that Selphie had left the stuff about halfway to the water and was nowhere to be seen.

"Selphie?" Kairi called. No answer. _Ah, just as well._ she thought, heaving a mental sigh. _I won't be any kind of company anyway._ She thought about that boy some more, but came up with nothing.

"Maybe, waiting isn't good enough." she murmured.

"My thoughts exactly! If you have a dream, don't wait. Act. One of life's little rules. Got it memorized?" came a voice from nowhere. Kairi turned quickly, looking for whoever had spoken to her, whoever had been close enough to hear her.

A man appeared out of a dark portal. She knew this sort of thing happened sometimes, little pockets of dark, exploding open, creating a passageway between worlds. The oddest thing about him was his hair, bright red and spiking up about a foot off of his head. The next was his black cloak. He must have been burning up! Another thing was the twin black scars under his eyes. But his eyes... They were a deep green, but almost with a tint of brighter green, or seafoam green, perhaps. They were captivating. And he was staring at her. "Who are you?" she whispered.

"Axel. I happen to be an aqquaintence of Sora's. Why don't we go see him?" He stretched out his extremely thin arm to her, as if wanting her to take his hand.

"Sora?" Kairi whispered to herself. So many things fell into place! The memories were back, his name, his face, what he'd done, the promises they'd made to each other! It was all back!

Suddenly, a big orange-yellow dog, Pluto, came tearing across the sand, stopping at Kairi's feet, barking. As King Mickey's dog, Kairi had heard about his more than once, but never seen him. But she knew she could trust him!

Four creatures sprang up with his arrival. They looked like anorexically thin, stilt-limbed people, but with white, almost jumpsuits. What would be the hood was unzipped, showing a round head with sharp teeth. It resembled something from her memory, a Heartless. But this was different. Kairi couldn't place the difference, but it was more than just color. This creature was more fluid in its movements.

Another dark portal opened up behind Kairi, and Pluto dashed towards it with no hesitation.

"We've got something in common, Kairi. You and I both miss someone we care about. Hey, I feel like we're friends already." the man, Axel, said quietly.

Kairi turned toward the portal, took a little breath, and ran forward, yelling over her shoulder, "You're not acting very friendly!" She ran straight into the darkness.

_How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?_

She and Pluto ended up in a blank world. Blank wasn't really the right word. It was blue, with a number of cross shapes floating around. "Hey, what is this place?" she whispered to herself. Suddenly, a bright doorway shone in front of them. Pluto dashed forward into it, and Kairi stepped forward, hesitating this time before plunging herself in.

She turned and saw a person in an identical black cloak to the one Axel had been wearing. "Huh?!" she said loudly, just before the light closed in and surrounded her.

_Leading you down into my core, where I become so numb._


	2. Twilight Town?

"Are you okay?"

"What? What'd you say?"

Someone sighed, and another giggled. "I asked if you were okay."

Kairi lifted her head. She was on a floor that may have been stone or dirt. She couldn't tell. At first, she had no idea how she'd gotten here. But then the memories all came back. Axel, taunting her. Pluto, the portals. The bright light. "Yeah, I guess. How did I get here?" She looked up for the first time at the people who had spoken to her. There was a tall, blonde boy sitting inbetween a brunette girl and a chubby black-haired boy. The blonde was the one who had spoken to her. She turned her gaze to the chubby one. "You and that dog," he pointed to Pluto," came flying out of a hole in the wall! Nearly gave us heart attacks!" he said, laughing.

Kairi laughed too. It _was _pretty absurd when it was said like that. The two boys, the blonde, Hayner, the chubby one, Pence, and the girl, Olette, told about what had happened. Apparently, a black hole had just appeared in the wall, and Pluto had hurtled out of it and into the wall opposite, while Kairi had just drifted a little and fallen on the ground. Pluto was up and about instantly, while the the kids watched Kairi for about fifteen minutes before she got up.

Kairi found herself enjoying their company. She had no idea where she was, however, so she asked Olette when the boys were laughing about some joke. "Oh, you didn't know? You're in Twilight Town! How did you get here? I mean, I saw you come out of the wall, buthow did you get into the hole in the first place? You must have come from somewhere..."

So Kairi told them her story. She began with how she, Riku, and Sora had played together on the island, to her move to the mainland, and ending with her kidnapping by Axel.

As soon as she said his name, a voice came from nowhere, just like the first time. "What took you so long, Kairi?"

"No! Not here!" Kairi half-whispered.

Axel materialized out of a dark portal across the room, smiling. Hayner growled and launched himself at Axel, only to pass through him as if he were made of shadows. Hayner fell to the floor, dazed. Pence tried the same thing, with the same results.

Axel crossed the room and grabbed Kairi's arm. Olette shrieked and tried to punch him in the arm, but with no success. He started to drag Kairi forward, toward the portal. She struggled and fought, but he was too strong. Funny, it had been her first impression that he was too skinny to be a real threat. Her last thought as the portal swallowed her was that it really was a shame that Hayner, Pence and Olette hadn't gotten to tell her anything more about the town.

_She won't turn around. Alone in this fight with herself  
And the fears whispering, if she stands, she'll fall down._

AN: Better... V. 2.0!! Anyway, the song is Stand in the Rain by SuperChick. Review, pls!


	3. Castle Oblivion

Axel stared across the room at the sleeping girl. She had gone to sleep crying. Almost broke his heart.

He chuckled to himself. It caused her to stir a little in her sleep, and he quieted instantly.

"Sora?" she mumbled drowsily. He rolled his eyes and shifted a little in his pure white chair.

"Kairi? C'mon. Wake up." he murmurmed.  
"Huh? Wha's going on?"

"C'mon princess. We gotta go." He rolled his eyes again as Kairi sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Sora?" she mumbled again.  
"Uh, yeah. No. Try 'Axel', princess." He smirked.

"Ok...Wait, WHAT? GO WHERE?" Kairi yelled, jumping to her feet. She collapsed as a horrible pain lashed through the back of her head, and managed to arrange herself in a sitting position before she hit the floor. "Just tell me what's going on." she whispered, looking up at Axel with big blue eyes.

"Okay, princess, but first you gotta come with me." He smirked again.  
Kairi set her jaw. "No. You have to give me some answers first." Axel rolled his eyes again and grabbed her arm. He yanked her to her feet and opened the door, pulling her along behind him.

"HEY! Let go of me! Help!" Kairi screamed. She kicked and dragged her feet; she hit Axel in the arm, she tried to get away, and it was all to no effect. He was just too strong.

So she quit trying. She just went limp. Axel looked back for an instant, smiled as if he was pleased that she'd given up futile resistance, and continued walking.

_Another head hangs lowly, child is slowly taken.  
And the violence, caused such silence. Who are we mistaken?_

"You were right to stop trying to get away, princess. I'm always going to come out on top." Kairi glared at the back of Axel's head, trying not to drag her feet, trying not to scream. She simply gritted her teeth and turned her head. "I'm not going to do anything for you." she said, her voice wavering, as if she weren't quite sure how to use it. He simply turned around and smirked at her. "And that's where you're wrong, princess. You'll do anything I want you to do, got it memorized? Anything I want..." His smirk grew more pronounced as he tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ear and rubbed his gloved thumb across her cheek. Kairi reddened. She wanted nothing more to do with this evil man, however frail he had seemed to her in Hollow Bastion.

Axel stopped suddenly. Kairi had to drag her feet to stop herself from running into him. "What's your problem?" she shrilled, ready to chew him out for dragging her along, only to stop short where he would probably force her to go back to her horrible excuse for a room. She glanced around her and shuddered. All this white was giving her a headache.

Footsteps sounded on the impossibly white, almost invisible floor a little way away, and Axel groaned. A black glove, contrasting deeply with the white background, wrapped around the corner, only to recoil immediately. Axel lauged, then sighed. "You can come out now..."

AN: Okay, once again. 2.0 pwns. The lyrics are from Zombie by The Cranberries.


	4. Failure to Comply

"… Demyx."

A blonde head appeared from around the corner. "Ah! YOU FOUND ME!" it's owner cried, jumping out in full view. He wore a black cloak identical to Axel's and he had blonde hair. He seemed very young, around Kairi's age, but he looked to be maybe 18 or 19. "I thought we agreed. Hide-and-seek, remember?" he said, poking Axel in the chest.

"Sure, sure, Dem. Whatever you say. Sure you aren't here to take dear Kairi away from me?" Axel said jokingly. Demyx shook his head in mock horror and took three slow steps backward, putting his hands up in front of him. "What, do think I have a death wish?"

Kairi stared around her in confusion. "Could someone explain to me what's going on here?" she said in a small voice, trying to get some answers without attracting too much attention to herself, just incase this stranger wasn't as friendly as he seemed. Not a chance. The boy was every bit as friendly as Axel was sadistic. "Well, hi there!" he said, smiling. "My name's Demyx. Now, that's D-e-m-y-x, Demyx..." he rambled on and on while Axel shoved him back around the corner, leaving Kairi with a few words of comfort. "Don't you dare try and run, princess. You know I'll always find you!"

At this Demyx stared disapprovingly at him. "Why are you threatening her? She's just scared. Right, uh, Kairi?" Kairi smile a thin little smile at this. "Yep. Kairi. That's me!" She dropped her head. "Not like I haven't wished that wasn't true recently." she added.

Demyx sighed. "So, Axel. What are you gonna do about her? You can't keep her, but now you can't send her back. You know that. That leaves just one other option... OW! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?!" he yelled, trying to put out a flame that had caught on the end of his sleeve. Axel stared calmly at him. "I'd rather not deal with that until I have to."

Demyx stared at him in anguish. "Maybe you'll listen to this, then! The Organization isn't gonna stop looking for you! They won't stop until you're back with them or dead! The girl too." Kairi looked around, almost unable to contain this flow of information.

_I see nothing in your eyes.  
And the more I see, the less I like._

Axel stared at the young girl coldly. Well, not really, since, standing about three feet away from him, she could feel the warmth left over from the flame that had scarred Demyx's poor cloak. Too bad. But figuratively, coldly. "Are you ready to leave, Kairi?" he asked, gripping her arm, making it clear that the question was an order, not open for discussion. Another portal opened. Kairi was getting seriously sick of them.

Demyx put his hand on Axel's shoulder. "Listen, man. Just want to leave you with one last piece of advice. The Organization isn't gonna stop just 'cause they don't like to be here. Believe me that."

Then he disappeared into a portal of his own. Gone, the only buffer Kairi had against Axel and his multiple personalities. That was really the only explaination. There was the Axel that cared about what happened to her, the Axel that couldn't care less, the Axel who threatened her, the Axel who hurt her... The list goes on and on.

And now Kairi was at the mercy of all of them.

O..o..O

Sorry about the antagonizing shortness of all these chapters! I'll try to make them longer in the future.  
Just to clear something up, NO Demyx is not in love with Axel. NO NO NO NO NO! There.  
Also, nothing follows the lines after this. The whole Organization is still alive, minus Roxas. Marluxia and Larxene's rebellion failed, but they were not killed. Also, there is another rebellion I add in: The rebellion of Ricochet and Nemesis. You will hear quite a bit about these Nobodies, and they are my own creations. Please don't flame me about them.  
This author lives on reviews! Currently, I'm dying! So READ AND REVIEW PEOPLES!


	5. The OTHER side

KPOV

By the way, I've noticed that I haven't been putting disclaimers. Too bad, I'm too lazy to go back and change the other chapters. Whoops.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Kingdom Hearts or any of the character mentioned in this or past chapters. However, I do own the path this story is taking. Nothing is the same as the game, as I warned you. Yay for me.

O..o..O

I looked around me in intense confusion, made all the worse by the fact that Axel was studying me, with that peculiar little smirk on his face. I'm really starting to hate that. "Uh, where are we?" He laughed. Oh, crap. Bad things happen when he laughs.

Or maybe not. "Kairi, Kairi, Kairi. Don't you recognize this place? Why, it's none other than Hollow Bastion! Formerly known as Radiant Garden." Okay, that struck a nerve. I was supposed to forget about my past, didn't the bastard know that?! I've always done so well, never let on that I knew anything about Radiant Garden, the place Sora told me about. Always played dumb. But at least I was good at that! No one ever suspected I remembered anything about my childhood!

As I couldn't very well say all that, I settled for glaring at the aforementioned bastard. He just grinned. Now, I know that bad things happen when he grins, smirks, or sneers. I'm usually right about that.

And I was. He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, seeming to know his way around this god-forsaken place. Wow, was this really Radian Garden? Or, wait, what did he call it? Hollow Bastion, or something incredibly similar. Was this really the place I'd grown up in? When I lived here, the place was full of life! There was green everywhere, trees, grass, plants, flowers. Oh, the flowers. You didn't walk even a few feet safely. You always had to watch where you were going, unless you _wanted_ to step on and crush the beautiful little things. Animals, little ones, of course, we weren't a little fairy tale town, were everywhere. Bunnies, birds, little wild things like that were everywhere! And then, the pets. Cats, dogs, more birds, even the occasional hamster or gerbil or something. But the best thing about this place was the people. They were all so friendly and kind! All of us were devoted to stopping the Heartless. We had a commitee of some sort, something like the Radiant Garden Peace Commitee. The RGPC. The name had always made me laugh. But my life... My life was like a little black spot on a beatiful multi-colored blanket or something. There was another little boy, one who helped me, made my life easier... Now what was his name...?

Axel interrupted my reverie by stopping. I guess this didn't knock me out of my daydream as much as the fact that while I was thinking, I ran into him. Hard. I fell on my back, and he turned around and laughed at me. The bastard. "C'mon, Kairi, wakey, wakey! Daydreaming, were you? No time for that, we're here." He left me to scramble to my feet and turned back around to gaze at the ramshackle little house he'd stopped in front of. Well, no, ramshackle wasn't quite the right word. It was a quaint little place, and could be full of charm, an absolutely adorable abode, if someone were to clean it up a bit. "What's this? Where are we?" I mumbled, not quite expecting an answer.

He surprised me. "The home of an old friend. I need a favor." The way he said the words made me think that this person probably didn't think of him as a friend, and probably would have to be _persuaded_ to do Axel a favor.

He stepped up to the door and knocked twice. No answer, and I was about to point out that this place wasn't exactly the kind of place in which someone would enjoy living, when he turned his head. Maybe he heard something, I don't know.

"Come on, Namine. The game's no fun unless you're willing to play..." he murmured. Unless that wasn't what he said. I wouldn't have been surprised. At any rate, he turned to the side and _kicked the damn door in!_ I mean, come _on! _Is he serious?! Or does he just get paid to play Matrix and kidnap little girls? Well, I guess I'm not little anymore. I'm fifteen. Not exactly little.

Whatever. I wouldn't have gone into the creepy little shack, but I didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. He grabbed my arm and pulled me right along behind him.

I was surprised to hear a small but definate whimper coming from inside the shack as Axel strode in like he owned the place. Maybe he did. I shouldn't be one to judge. Unless being kidnapped is basis for judging. In which case I am more than qualified.

He stalked into the small, dark room, and at first I couldn't see anything. Then, as my eyes accustomed to the gloom, I saw a little girl, huddled in the corner of the room, clutching something to her chest. Her blue eyes were wide open, and she was shaking, so much so that her white blonde hair shook along with her.

"Ah, it's my old friend, Namine! Say hello to Namine, princess." said Axel, breaking out into a grin. Fake, probably. However, from the way the girl was shaking, I'd say he'd gotten some intense pleasure out of tormenting her in the past.

"Axel...? I can't help you." These weren't normally considered odd words, but considering the two members of the conversation... Very odd. What could Axel need from this little girl?

The question was immediately forgotten in my haste to get away from him. He was quivering, though with fear or rage or something else it wasn't clear. But he was also getting warm, and I happen to have a certain affinity with my outer layer of skin. "What do you mean?" he murmured, but his tone made clear that he was shaking with rage. I could only imagine why.

The girl, Namine, I think, stood up slowly, and I could see that the object in her hands was a shell-pink sketchbook. She also had a few pencils strewn onto the floor, as though she'd gotten frustrated with their unwillingness to do her bidding. "I mean I know where he is, but it won't help you. I'm sorry."

Axel took a half-step towards her, but Namine was either incredibly stupid or very brave, because she stood her ground. "What do you mean, it won't help me?!" he roared, covering the rest of the distance from him to her in an instant. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked, inciting a cry from both of us: Her one of pain, and mine of anger.

He appeared not to notice. "You, witch, will tell me where Roxas is!" he hissed. She winced, her eyes filling with tears. "Axel, I'm so sorry... Roxas is dead... Well, he went back to Sora. I'm so sorry."

I started. Sora? What part did my best friend play in this? Did they mean that this Roxas person went and found Sora and that my friend killed him?

I don't think I'll get answers to any of that yet. Axel had let go of Namine and nearly fallen backwards. He caught himself on the wall at the last second, and slumped to the floor. Namine opened up one of those portal-things (I should have guessed that she was part of that whole buisiness) and stepped halfway in, turning around to speak to me. "Kairi, I'm sorry. I have something to take care of. I can't give it back just yet." And with that she disappeared to her destination.

Not knowing what else to do, I went over to Axel. True, he'd made the last few days miserable for me, but there's just something in me that can't ignore a person in pain. No matter how inhuman that person acts.

He was crying. I'd seen him laugh, sneer, joke, smile, frown, and cringe, but I'd never seen him cry. This must have been bad.

I had to do something, I couldn't just sit there and let him cry! So I did something completely unsafe and out of character.

I went over to him, sat in his lap, and put my arms around him. Odd, but he wasn't hot, just the opposite. He hesitantly put his arms around me, and his embrace wasn't hot and stifling like most people's. His hug was nice. Cool, and he didn't try and hurt me or say anything inappropriate like I was prepared for.

In short, he astounded me.

So I settled down in the cool embrace and closed my eyes. It would do us both a bit of good to get some rest.

* * *

Dang. That's quite a bit longer than I usually write. Anyway, I'd like comments! Constructive crits, people! I'd like to know if I'm moving this along too quickly, and what you think!  
At any rate, I like it, and I have a grand scheme! Please comment if you have anything to say!  
Uh, also, I noticed that I have no lyrics in this chapter... I just couldn't think of a song. Please for suggestions!


	6. Screwed Up

Hello all!! So sorry for the long wait, I got stuck with writer's block, then got mad at my story, so I had to go back and edit! Sorry!

Anyway, this chapter takes place almost immediately after the last one. I just thought it would be appropriate to cut off while Kai was sleepin.

**Disclaimer: I FREAKING DON'T OWN KH!! **Or any of the songs. bllllllehc.

I stirred a bit, trying to compensate the movement for the girl asleep on my lap. Her hair lies strewn across her face. I can feel a tell-tale smirk crossing my lips as I think of what can be done here. Kairi's a bit too innocent for her own good, if you ask me.

She moves a bit, then opens her large blue eyes, blinking confusedly. "Wh-where are we?" she asks, yawning hugely. Something tells me that she hasn't been getting much sleep since her 'knight in shining armor' left her. That makes me sick. That the freak has such power over her that when he leaves, she can't even sleep. I intend to change that.

She seems to have gotten her bearings, and is muttering phrases that make me certain of this, such as "Radiant Garde- no, Hollow Bastion." and "What was she talking about...?" to herself. She blinks a few times, then her eyes focus on me, and I know that she actually hadn't put everything together yet. Her eyes widen, and she looks down, perhaps to ascertain that her current position on my lap is innocent. For her, at least.

Funny, actually. How you can practically see the gears turning, and then, when you least expect, she gets it. "A-are you going to take me home now? I mean... I thought you wanted me to help you find Roxas, but since that's kind of pointless..." She trails off in response to the less than friendly look in my eyes. But that look is gone soon enough, though she remains looking frightened and easily controlled.

"Don't you worry, Princess. You don't have to leave me just yet. I've got a plan." Her face turns crimson at some thought I may not want to hear. Or maybe I do. But it's not as if Kairi's the ony girl who's ever done anything for me, that way at least. She's not special in that respect. If she wants to ignore me... Well, it's her funeral I suppose. Except that I need her to get back my best friend... So it's back to square one if I kill her. Damn.

Kairi's face slowly settles back into her natural color, but I can't stand to let that happen. She's _too_ cute when she's wildly embarrased. "Matter of fact... You don't ever have to leave, Princess. That is, if you don't want to. And I just know you don't. That horrible boyfriend of yours won't trouble you anymore." The words have the right affect; she blushes blood-red again, and trys to articulate a comeback. "W-What?! I would never!" She glares at me. "Bite me!" she shouts when my only answer is a provocative smirk. I walk over to her and pull her to her feet. "With pleasure, Princess."

_What if I wanted to break?  
Laugh it all off in your..face._

_What would you do?_

"Where are we going?" Kairi asks as she trails along behind me. I turn around to answer, when she trips. She lands sprawled out at me feet on the pavement. I just want to get out of here before she has a chance to make a scene. Unfortunately, that seems to be exactly her plan. She screams, a long, shrill wail that seems to continue forever. "W-why would you do that to me?!"she bawls. "What did I ever do to you??" All this leaves me confused for about two seconds before it clicks. She's trying to attract attention. So that someone will take her away from me. So much for bonding.

A middle aged woman tending a tiny shop jogs over to where she lays at my feet, and she continues wailing. The woman glares at me, and I roll my eyes. She hisses "You think I won't call our authorities? Do you?" and continues looking straight into my eyes. I grin. "What makes you think your _authorities_ matter more than shit to me?" She pointedly turns away from me and begins to examine Kairi. Personally, I think it's a bit unnecessary. She fell. Offer her a band-aid or whatever. Now she's talking, asking my hostage questions. Questions she seems only too willing to answer.

"Now, did this man hurt you?" A whimper escapes Kairi's lips, but she nods anyway.  
"I'm guessing you're not with him voluntarily?" A shake of her head and narrowed eyes indicate the answer.  
"Where do you live? I'm sure we can get you back to your family." This time the tears are real. And I know the reason behind them. I learned before I even came to Destiny Islands that Kairi had a certain history. I know that her father was abusive. I know that she spent most of her childhood caring for four younger siblings, with the help of a brother, now believed deceased. I know how her mother died. And I know how she got away. In short, I know exactly what she's crying for. There's no family to welcome her back.

"I-I... I live on Destiny Islands..." she mutters. The woman nods sympathetically. "It will be difficult to get you home then. But we will help you get home." She sends a pointed look in my direction, and I can almost hear the end to her sentence. _... and away from this freak._  
So be it. I'm long used to people calling me a freak. And if they don't say it... Well it's really not that hard to read the emotion in someone's eyes. I can always tell when they're judging me.

Kairi looks up at the lady, then looks at me. Back and forth. Finally, she speaks. And what she says surprises the hell out of me. "N-no... I don't think I can." She hangs her head miserably. The woman looks confused. "Whyever not? You do want to go home, don't you?" Kairi shakes her head no. "There's nothing left for me there. They can't help me anymore..." That clouded look comes over her eyes, and I know she's thinking about Sora again. More and more today and yesterday have I caught her with that look. She's been thinking of him alot, and I want to know why. That will have to wait, though.  
She looks up at me again. "I-I... I think I'd better stay with him." The woman gasps. "But-but...! Why... But he... And you... What...?!"  
Kairi looks away. "I... I lied. Before. He hasn't hurt me. I don't think he will. I think I should probably stay with him. He's my best chance." The lady gives a disgusted snort, and glares at me. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don't come crying to me when your 'best chance' turns out to be nothing more than a disguting shadow!" She stalks away, back to her shop, and Kairi gets to her feet and looks at me, her wide eyes pleading for sympathy. They sayForgive_ me, I did what you wanted, please? _There won't be any easy forgiveness for her yet, though.

"What the _hell_ was that little stunt, Princess?!" I hiss through clenched teeth. She looks away, ashamed. "I- I though if I could get someone to help, maybe they could give me what I need. But talking to her... Just made me think that people are narrow-minded and bigoted." One word of what she said perked my interest. "What is it that you need, Princess?" She makes a show of studying her shoes. "I think I just need... Someone who loves me. Not _wants_ me, _loves me. _And I have think, maybe, you're going to lead me to someone who loves me. Maybe."

My non-existant heart shatters when she says that, then quickly reforms with the rebounding anger. So now I _want_ her? I don't remember ever conveying that! She's my prisoner, and nothing more! If I have anything to say about it, never again will she see any of the people that she's assuming love her. Never again.

She can see the anger lighting up my face, making it look fiercer, wilder, more dangerous. She can see, and shrinks away. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't think..." "Didn't think what, Princess?! Didn't think I'd be the tiniest bit offended??" She positively cowers, and I'm surprised at how enjoyable this is. Making her afraid... could have it's merits after all...

Roughly, I take her arm and propel her toward another conjured corrider of darkness, ignoring her whimper of fear. If she gets to antagonize me, the least I can do I give her a little bit back.

_What if I wanted to fight?  
Beg for the rest of my life?_

_What would you do?_

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A.N. Okay,so the chapter's finally up, and I'm proud of it!! Woooot. The music is What if I wanted to Break by The Kill: 30 Seconds from Mars.  
Leave a review, or message me with any comments, complaints, or advice :)

Bye bye!!


	7. Little White Room

Kay, this is a lil bit after the end of the last chapter...guys, I've really appreciated the reviews you guys have put in ;D Thanks so much!! And I will continue to write this :) I'm so not done yet.

**Disclaimers**: I don't own KH or KH2. I don't own any songs in this chapter, though I would love to.

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My eyes are red and swollen from crying, and the red-haired demon who comes and checks on me from time to time doesn't care. Doesn't care that I don't deserve this punishment. Doesn't care that I don't even know how I angered him.

There it is again. The tap-tap of boots on the cold white floor in the hall. He's come to make sure I'm still okay, that I don't need anything, blah blah blah. I know the real reason he makes these visits. It's to make sure he can gloat as much as possible. Even if I did need something, I'm sure he wouldn't bring it to me. A key in the doorknob makes that _clink_ sound, and the door handle turns. The first thing I always see is his gloved hand. I think he's paranoid, thinking that I'm hiding behind the door waiting to hit him over the head with something. Not that it's not a good idea...I just couldn't do it.

"Oohh Kaaairiii...!" The demon's voice floats through the doorway. I stand unsteadily, backing myself into a corner, sitting down again. I don't want him to find me, especially if that's what he wants. "Kairi? Oh, Kairi, won't you come out and play?" he says mockingly.

He enters the room, dressed in the black cloak, hood down, as always. Of course, I stand out, being the only bit of color in the otherwise white room. He spots me immediately. As he walks toward me, that prowling lope that at once is so powerful and graceful and so dangerous and predatory, I cower down, ducking my head. The room is small, and he reaches me in a matter of seconds. Without saying another word, he grabs my write and pulls me to my feet. It hurts so bad, and I stand along with my wrist to avoid the pain. He smirks at me, seeing my grimace.

"Kairi, we're going out for a bit." he intones, not even caring to keep the gloating pleasure out of his voice. I raise my head to look him in the face, my voice timid as I query, "Where are we going?" He puts a gloved finger under my chin, lifting my head and turning it from side to side, as if he were looking at an animal's face. With a pleased smirk, he lets my head droop, and lifts his hand again, I thought to run a hand through his hair. The slap was as painful as was unexpected. My head fully snaps to the side with the force. His face becomes a mask of stone, and he lifts my head again, staring into my eyes.

His eyes are cold now, devoid of any warmth or human compassion. I wonder often if such a being could even be human; could even be in posession of a heart. "Do. Not. Ask. Questions. You will go with me wherever I wish to go, and you will do whatever I want you to do. Is that clearly understood, Kairi?" When I nod my aqcuiesce, he grins. I turn my head to the side when he grabs my wrist and begins to lead me toward the door.

At the door, he stops and turns around. He smirks again, and plants a small kiss upon my forehead. My eyes widen in shock and my cheeks flush with anger. When he sees the anger in my gaze, his own eyes become steely and I can see an identical spark of fury at my reaction. He then stops, and his eyes widen. He turns around and runs out the door, slamming it and consequently locking it behind him and before me.

I sigh, then I myself turn around and am confronted by a frightening image in my mirror. I catch a glimpse of a girl much younger-looking than I would have ever thought myself to look. Much more fragile looking too, as well as scared and haunted. I mean, really. I don't blame myself for thinking it was someone else before I hid my face. It's been just over a week since I was taken away from my home.

I throw myself down on the pure white bed and sob. As the tears flow freely down my cheeks, I wonder how one man can be so capable of such different levels of emotion. Maybe it's not emotion, but merely _going through_ the motions. I put a hand to my cheek, and I can still feel the spot where he slapped me. It burns with the shame of my captivity. If I were anything like any of my friends, I would have found a way out by now.

I hear voices in the hallway, not the one I ususally hear, but two or three. One of them is Axel's. One of them may or not be...what was that boy's name? Oh, yes. Demyx. And someone else. The third voice sounds older, more powerful.

I think they're arguing. Axel seems to be trying to persuade them to leave... But why would they be here? Unless...they've come to take me away with them. No. No, no, no, no, no, NO! I refuse to go away! At least here I know where I am, and I know who I'm with, and I have some idea of what I can expect from him. I refuse to leave. I know Axel wouldn't let them take me without a fight.

The doorknob twists, and stops. I can hear the voices still, but nothing is distinct. They are still arguing...I would assume Axel is trying to get them away from my room. Then again...I could be wrong. The doorknob moves again, and I train my eyes on it as I move backwards, to where I can see through my mirror is my closet. I inch my way toward the door, trying to make no sound. As the knob twists again, I make my final move and shut the closet door behind me. The lights are off, and I just now realize how afraid I am of the dark. My heartrate rises dramatically, and my breathing gets fast and shallow. _Not now...Please not now. If there was ever a time not to have a panic attack, this would be it!_ I think to myself.

I can hear the door open. Three sets of footsteps enter the room, move around. I remember something...Something that Axel told me when I must have been about half-conscious.

_Now, Kairi. Remember this. There's a secret compartment in the closet wall that I want you to use if this room is ever searched. Got it memorized? _A nod from myself, or it must have been, for him to leave it alone. _Good. Now, you'll definately know when the time comes to use this..._

I fumble around in the dark, feeling for a break in the paint. I finally find it, and my fingernails are just long enough to dig in under the lid of the door and open it. I climb inside, trying not to think of all the things that could be sharing a home in here in the dark. I must have gotten in just in the nick of time, too, because I hear the closet door open. The light flicks on, and a voice calls out, "For the love of the worlds, Axel, where are you hiding her?!" I assume the room must have passed the test, for a short time later, all three persons leave the room, leaving the closet light on.

I re-enter the room with new appreciation for the light. As I take a seat in my chair, the doorknob twists again, and I tense to run into the closet. My instincts tell me, however, that this must be Axel returning. Sure enough, the door opens and there he is. This time, however, he doesn't 'test the air' with his gloved hand. When he sees my at the desk, his handsome face contorts into a smirk, and he closes the space between us in two strides. He takes ahold of my shoulder and pulls me to my feet and out the door. As we journey, he speaks, and when he speaks, his hand on my shoulder clenches tightly, and I grimace from the pain. "Well, Kairi-girl, you may have passed that test, but rest assured, Princess, that there are many more to be had."

And with that, the darkness descends over us, and I am lost.

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Holy. Frickin. Crap. Sorry this chapter took so long :( Bad bad things have been happening right now. Mostly I've just been really distracted... There are probably a few of you who may read this who have heard about this...But here goes.

On September 5, 2009, a small private airplane crashed just minutes after takeoff in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The passengers were: Stephen, Dana, Laura, and Christina Lester, as well as Dr. Kenneth Veteto. All five passengers were killed. Laura was my friend, and I played volleyball with her all summer and for the month that we were in school. Christina was a grade beneath me, and I've known her practically all the years I've attended my school. Mr. and Mrs. Lester were amazing people and I know that though we miss them here on earth, they are rejoicing with Jesus right now. However, Dr. and Mrs. Lester left behind two older children, Sarah and Matthew Lester, as well as a third grade nephew and his terminally ill mother. I'd like anyone who is willing to be praying for Sarah and Matt. Most of you who read this won't pay attention, and many of you who do won't pray for the remaining children, but I'd like to know if you are. If you read this, payed attention to it, and are praying, please send me a message via Fanfiction or over email at .net

Thanks, I heart you guys 3  
-DoD-


	8. The Spaces

Okay, so I feel a lot better now :) And hopefully this chapter won't suck like the last one.

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APOV

This girl. What is wrong with this girl?

I'm pulling her down the hall by her wrist, after keeping her ass out of trouble with the Organization, and consequently myself, and how does she repay me? Silence. And she's glaring at me. And she looks scared.

God, I'm inscenced.

It would be fine if she had a legitimate reason to be scared or angry. But she doesnt. Stupid whore.

This is why I hate my job. It's necessary, but the kidnapping gets old. As does the taking care of the kidnappees. "Axel, where are we going??" she whines. I figure if I just ignore the kid, she'll just leave me the hell alone. But ignoring her doesn't seem to get the desired effect. Crap. I can feel my hands warming up, and if I don't get myself under control, all the kid'll be is a charred mess on the floor. It was so much easier to be with the Organization... At least there, when I needed to blow off steam, there was always someone ready to go for an all-out brawl. Not here. I have to control my anger if my plan will work. Technically, I have to make friends with the girl, and get her to trust me for it to work, but I have to work in baby steps. It's in the job description.

She makes a little sound, and it sounds as if she's on the verge of tears. She can go find someone with the heart to care. I'm here to keep her out of trouble and get what I deserve, nothing more. I'm not playing babysitter to a girl who grew up with my best friend's murderer.

Ahem. I've said too much.

I've got to give her this though-- she reacted well to Xaldin's _surprise!_ inspection of the place I currently call home. Meaning that Xemnas sent him to look for Kairi. I'm not complaining. I did kind of steal her...And they do kind of need her... But I need her more. And that's that.

I sneak a glance back at her. She's looking around herself, wonderously. It reminds me of how very little experience she has with the worlds. I know I should be glad that she's gazing elsewhere and so doesn't meet my eyes, but I feel nothing. Strange, but that never ceases to be a shock. I snap my fingers, and another of my buddies, the portals between the worlds, opens in front of me. Kairi's breathing gets fast and shallow, and I can feel her pulse quicken. I wonder if she finds it odd that, though she can feel my wrist, she will not feel a pulse? I know that this 'in-between' world, with its strange, floating symbols frightens her. I can tell that much.

The doorway that we enter through is to a world she knows. Or one that she thinks she knows. I know it better, after all, I was there for the designing of the city. Her shoes tap-tap on the stone of the street, while my feet make not a sound. The strange silence that inhabits this life is a strange thing to get used to, but not unbearable, as I thought at first. I take another look back at Kairi. She gazes around her, smiling. I can tell that she's thinking of the little freaks that she met earlier. She wants to believe that they can help her away from me, so she smiles. I know better than she does, however, that they can't. So I laugh.

Her head whips around at the sound of my laughter. Mind, it wasn't really laughter, just a smirk accompanied by an odd, little...snorting...or something like that. But it could definately be called laughter. She studies me with those blue eyes, and I think about hitting her again, just to make my point. But then, I have to factor in possible witnesses. I'm more than a little unusual-looking, and it simply won't do to have people who can say they saw me hit a little girl. So I refrain.

"Um....Axel?" she mumbles. I know at some point I'll have to speak to her, and in fact I'll have to even earn her trust. Might as well be now. "Mmm? What is it, Princess?" She stumbles a bit, her feet not quite finding enough purchase on a slippery stone to hold her up, and it concerns me for a brief moment, until I remember the things she's said to and about me. I'll let her fall if that's what it will take to earn me some respect. But, fortunately for her, she doesn't fall, only finds her balance just in the nick of time. I turn to smirk at her. "Were you going to say something, Princess?" I murmur softly. Her face turns bright red, as it does whenever she comes in contact with the slightest bit of emotion. She turns her head to the side, as if it matters that she blushed and I was a witness. "Nothing. Never mind." she whispers, more, I think, to herself than to me.

We are nearly halfway to our destination when Kairi suddenly collapses. I hang back a few feet at first, unwilling to go near her if this is a trick or something. When I can assure myself she isn't faking, I kneel at her side. Her eyes are closed, her lips slightly parted. She looks almost as if she were sleeping. I take her thin wrist in my hand and am searching for her pulse when the first reactors to the accident arrive. Once I've located her slightly faster than usual pulse, I try and assure the onlookers that she'll be okay, she's alive, and she will wake up in a few moments. I wish I were as confident as I sounded. They finally all disperse.

She opens her eyes when she's been on the ground for just over three and a half minutes. She then shakes her head in confusion. "It's okay, Princess, it's alright. You're okay." I mutter near her ear. She speaks, her voice a shrill wail. "Axel! Axel, I can't see!" This worries me just a bit more than her fainting. Young girls do that sometimes, right? "It's going to be okay, Princess. Probably just a temporary thing."

Her small hands search for something, though for a moment I can't imagine what. Then I realize with a shock: _She's scared. She wants someone to hold her hand..._ That seems like a very human thing to do. Fortunately, I've mastered the role of 'non-human trying to fit in'. I move my hand from my side to just where she can reach it. She slips her tiny hand into my large one, and almost immediately, her heart rate slows to a reasonable ratio. Any other time, I would take apart what that would mean, but I just don't have it in me today. This shock was enough. I don't need any more stress.

A small movement of her hand alerts me, and I look down at where her hand fits in mine. She's laced her fingers into the spaces between mine, and, though my hands are nearly twice as large as hers, the movement feels right. When I look at our hands, it just looks _right_

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KPOV

I wish I could tell Axel that I regained sight almost immediately after he gave me his hand to hold. But that....That would have ruined the surprise, the pure _joy_ of seeing his face change as I entertwined our fingers together. No, no, the smile, the real, genuine smile, was simply too precious to risk spoiling with his innate dislike for me....

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AN-

Sorry this chapter took so long. There was a lot of family drama and I had major major writer's block. As always, thank you for your outstanding praise for this story, I really don't know that I deserve it. Critisicm is welcome and appreciated!

D-o-D


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